It is of utmost importance for people and systems on-board an in-flight aircraft to be able to communicate with people and communications networks and/or systems on the ground. Communications links supporting such communications may be implemented via a direct link between an aircraft and a ground station (e.g., “air-to-ground” communications links), and/or may be implemented via a set of intermediate links, e.g., a direct link between an aircraft and a satellite, and another direct link between the satellite and a satellite ground station or earth station, where the satellite ground station may be communicatively connected with other ground-based communications and/or data networks. Information such as location, weather forecast, air traffic, satellite fidelity updates, etc. may be communicated between the ground and in-flight aircraft to ensure safe and efficient travel, for example.
Since the advent of personal electronic devices (PEDs) such as laptops, tablet computers, smartphones, personal digital assistants, e-readers, smart devices, and other types of mobile computing devices, in-flight passengers have been allowed to use their personal electronic devices during flight to access communications links to thereby communicate with ground stations and systems that give the passengers access to the internet and/or other ground-based data and communications networks. Generally, such passenger services are referred to as “passenger in-flight connectivity services,” or generally “on-board connectivity services.” However, an aircraft's capacity to support on-board connectivity services is significantly constrained in comparison with the capacity of terrestrial connectivity services (e.g., when a person utilizes his or her PED on the ground or terrestrially), especially as aircrafts are increasingly able to transport greater numbers of passengers, each of whom may desire to utilized his or her PED on-board. An aircraft may provide passenger on-board connectivity services via direct air-to-ground communications links and/or via satellite links, but each of such on-board communications technologies typically only supports a single air interface standard over a given physical channel. In addition, coverage is not globally available using any one given on-board communications technology. All of these factors, and/or other factors, may result in lagging network performance and unnecessary on-board connectivity outages.